As the clock winds down on Connecticut’s legislative session, lawmakers are considering several social media bills that could run afoul of the First Amendment.

These proposals may seem like routine guardrails to protect teens on social media, but they actually risk endangering the very communities that Connecticut’s Democratic leaders have long championed.

These bills would require platforms to verify the identity and age of all users, chipping away at the privacy of all Connecticut residents, adults and minors alike. It would also block minors from accessing social media overnight, impose a default one-hour time limit, and ban algorithmic content curation – all of which raise serious constitutional and practical concerns.

We’ve seen this play out before. Across the country, similar laws have been challenged in court. From Arkansas to California to Utah, judges have blocked laws that attempt to sidestep well-established constitutional protections around speech and privacy. And when those states inevitably lose in court, it’s taxpayers who are left holding the bag, having paid to defend these ill-conceived bills.

But these laws don’t just risk bad press, wasted resources, and legal delays. They risk real harm to the speech and privacy rights of all residents. 

Under an age verification mandate, platforms must verify the identity and age of all users, including existing ones. Many adults simply don’t want to share sensitive documents with online services. Under the proposed legislation in Connecticut, they’d face an uncomfortable choice: hand over personal data just to engage in protected online speech or walk away entirely.

Rather than collect that sensitive data, many platforms may choose to treat all users as minors – curating their content accordingly. Imagine if YouTube became “YouTube Kids” for everyone, creating an overly-sanitized ‘Disney Land’ experience that no one asked for.

Compelling companies to collect troves of personal information also opens the door to cybersecurity threats. A service offering age verification services recently left user data exposed, putting countless consumers at risk.

For LGBTQ+ users in particular, increased data collection isn’t just intrusive – it’s dangerous. Platforms serving these communities could have their data weaponized for blackmail, cyberbullying, or worse. In 2022, a majority of LGBTQ+ respondents (54 percent) reported experiencing severe harassment, including stalking, physical threats, and doxxing.

The problems don’t stop there. These bills assume that everyone has access to official identification and is willing to share it. But many of those in marginalized communities, including undocumented residents, transgender people, and people of color, disproportionately lack standard forms of ID. 

Since its inception, the internet has served as a great equalizer – a place where people can access news, education, health care resources, and community without being filtered through gatekeepers. It’s one of the few remaining public forums where your background, income, or immigration status doesn’t define your ability to speak or be heard. 

By requiring users to produce government ID to participate in online life, Connecticut risks locking people out of vital platforms for self-expression, advocacy, and connection. Instead of building a safer internet, bills like those legislators are currently considering  risk turning it into a gated community where only those with the right paperwork can enter. In President Trump’s second term, these risks become even more severe. Laws that require age verification could become tools for surveillance, discrimination, or even deportation.

Gov. Ned Lamont and Democratic legislators have worked hard in recent years to positionConnecticut as a forward-looking tech leader. From >clean energy to fintech innovation, the state has built true momentum. But that progress could be jeopardized by well-intentioned but deeply flawed tech laws.

Instead of pushing through risky measures in the final weeks of the legislative session, lawmakers should look to the cautionary tales unfolding in other states. 

There’s still time to get this right.

Adam Kovacevich is the founder and CEO of Chamber of Progress.